Monthly Archives: January 2016

The well-known health benefits of breastfeeding are highlighted in The Lancet Breastfeeding Series, released today. They point out that the rate of exclusive breastfeeding worldwide has not improved in two decades. Our 18 videos on breastfeeding help raise these rates by providing health workers and mothers with practical information on “how-to” skills and problem management that can lead to greater breastfeeding success.

According to WHO, their “estimates published in ‘The Lancet’ reveal that increasing breastfeeding to near-universal levels could save more than 800,000 lives every year, the majority being children under 6 months. In addition, nearly half of all diarrhoeal diseases and one-third of all respiratory infections in children in low- and middle-income countries could be prevented with increased rates of breastfeeding.”

The WHO summary goes on to say that “countries need to invest in policies and programmes that support women’s breastfeeding. Supportive health-care systems, adequate maternity leave entitlements, workplace interventions, counselling and educational programmes can all help to improve breastfeeding rates [emphasis added].” Our breastfeeding videos play a pivotal role in this effort as breastfeeding is best taught by seeing live-action examples.

At the SIL clinic in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, newborns are regularly seen who are cold and stressed. One reason for the problem is the common belief that it is best to immediately separate the baby from the mother and wash him, a situation made worse by the cool-to-cold nights at high elevation (approximately 5000 feet, or 1500 meters, above sea level). The vast majority of the women deliver in their villages, often outside in a secluded place. Grandmothers and untrained village women usually assist with the birth, as trained birth attendants are rare.

The SIL clinic provides antenatal care and education to about 150 local women each month. According to Helen Doss, a pediatrician at the clinic, “After the staff watched Keeping the Baby Warm, they immediately agreed it should be shown to expectant mothers to help them learn what to do to prevent hypothermia in the neonatal population.” The video is now being translated into Tok Pisin—the trade language—so that it can be shown regularly during antenatal visits.

Health Leadership International (HLI) showed our videos at the Innovation Fair at the College of Health Sciences in Luang Prabang, Laos as an example of “innovative health teaching approaches that are being used around the world.” Karen Hays of HLI reported that students were able to watch GHMP videos in Lao. They also got to see how MamaNatalie and NeoNatalie from Laerdal are used for hands-on birth simulation training.

In the photo, a student is taking a “video of the video” to have it available for later use. Students were delighted to learn that the Lao versions of GHMP videos can be freely downloaded to their phones directly from our website.